BELTON, Texas — The Belton City Council has approved a new four-year water and wastewater rate structure designed to support major infrastructure improvements, manage rising costs, and promote water conservation.
The decision was made on Tuesday, August 13, during the council’s regular meeting.
The City of Belton plans to invest more than $58 million over the next four years in water and sewer infrastructure projects. These investments are expected to increase the city’s annual debt service payments by nearly $3 million.
The approved rate structure will adjust water base rates according to meter size, aligning with industry standards. This approach recognizes that larger meters impose a greater demand on the water system. The base rate, which includes 2,000 gallons of water for domestic use, will increase for most customers. For instance, the base rate for the most common 5/8-inch meter will rise from $17 to $18 per month in 2025. Larger meters will see proportionate increases.
Volumetric rates, charged per 1,000 gallons of water used, will also be revised. The new structure for residential and non-residential sprinkler customers encourages conservation by charging higher rates for higher usage. Multi-family and commercial customers will continue to be charged flat rates. A residential customer using 4,000 gallons of water in FY 2025 will see a modest increase of $0.10 per month.
To address high sewer bills during the summer, the City will introduce winter-averaging for residential customers. Sewer charges will be based on the average water usage during December, January, and February, reflecting the typical amount of wastewater returned to the sewer system. This change is expected to lower summer sewer bills, especially for customers who use more water for irrigation.
In fiscal year 2025, the sewer base rate will increase by $0.57 to $17.95, and the volumetric rate will rise by $0.07 to $8.07 per 1,000 gallons.
For a residential customer using 4,000 gallons of water per month with a 5/8-inch meter, the monthly water and sewer bill will increase by $1.81, from $57.78 in FY 2024 to $59.59 in FY 2025, representing a 3.1% increase. However, for a customer using 16,000 gallons in the summer with a winter average of 4,000 gallons, the bill will drop from $190.18 in FY 2024 to $113.34 in FY 2025, a savings of $76.84 due to the new winter-averaging method.
The City of Belton has also introduced several new ways for customers to pay their utility bills. In addition to traditional bank and credit card drafts, residents can now pay using the My Civic Utilities mobile app, text-to-pay, or by calling 833-234-0898.
Key projects include:
-$16 million for Belton’s 25% share of the expansion of the Temple-Belton Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- $28 million for Belton’s portion of a $110 million project to expand and maintain the Bell County Water Control & Improvement District #1’s water treatment plant, increasing Belton’s water capacity from 10 million to 14 million gallons per day.
-$14 million for additional utility infrastructure projects identified in the City’s Capital Improvements Program for 2025–2029.